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Black-hole–neutron-star mergers: New numerical-relativity simulations and multipolar effective-one-body model with spin precession and eccentricity

Alejandra Gonzalez1,2, Sebastiano Bernuzzi2, Alireza Rashti3,4, Francesco Brandoli2,6, and Rossella Gamba4,5

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 124032 – Published 11 June, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/n7hg-cc2l

Abstract

In this paper, we present 52 new numerical-relativity (NR) simulations of black-hole–neutron-star (BHNS) mergers and employ the data to inform teobresums-dalí: a multipolar effective-one-body model also including precession and eccentricity. Our simulations target quasicircular mergers and the parameter space region characterized by significant tidal disruption of the star. Convergent gravitational waveforms are produced with a detailed error budget after extensive numerical tests. We study in detail the multipolar amplitude hierarchy and identify a characteristic tidal signature in the (ℓ,m)=(2,0), and (3, 0) modes. We also develop new NR-informed models for the remnant black hole and for the recoil velocity. The numerical data are then used to inform next-to-quasicircular corrections and the ringdown of teobresums-dalí for BHNS mergers. We show an overall order of magnitude improvement in the waveform’s amplitude at merger and more consistent multipoles over our older teobresums-giotto for BHNS mergers. teobresums-dalí is further validated with a new 12-orbit precessing simulation, showing phase and relative amplitude differences below ∼0.5 (rad) throughout the inspiral. The computed mismatches including all the modes lie at the 1% level for low inclinations. Finally, we demonstrate for the first time that teobresums-dalí can produce robust waveforms with both eccentricity and precession, and use the model to identify the most urgent BHNS mergers to simulate for waveform development. Our new numerical data are publicly released as part of the CoRe database.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 124032– Published 11 June, 2026
  • Received 4 July 2025
  • Accepted 28 April 2026
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